Here’s what Wales’ World Cup qualification path looks like after Czech victory

Rhodri Evans
After Wales beat Czechia 3-1 to top their World Cup qualifying group B1, here’s what they need and who they might face in order to get to Brazil next summer:
League B proves useful
Wales qualified for EURO 2025 following the same path that is laid out for them this time around.
They topped a League B qualifying group containing Ukraine, Croatia, and Kosovo, giving them a seeded route through to the play-off rounds.
By topping group B4 in 2024, Wales were promoted to Nations League A, where Rhian Wilkinson’s side were able to prepare for the Euros by facing top European opposition in Italy, Denmark, and Sweden.
Their winless run in that iteration of the Nations League saw them relegated to this current League B group for 2027 World Cup qualification.
Wales top the group
Wilkinson challenged her team to top the group once again and, despite a slip up against Montengero following some travel chaos, they passed her test.
Goals from Lily Woodham, Gemma Evans, and Mared Griffiths gave Wales an important 3-1 victory, once again topping Group B1 ahead of Czechia, Montenegro, and Albania.
Their success so far has been rewarded with a seeded place in the first play-off round, were they will initially avoid teams who have played in League A during this qualification process.
Potential first round opponents
The draw for both the first and second rounds takes place on June 18th, with Wales therefore knowing who they have to beat in October and November in order to qualify for a first ever World Cup.
As established, Wales are seeded in Round 1 Path 2, and could face one of these teams: Finland, Belgium Turkey, Czech Republic, Albania, Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Israel.
These are all sides that placed 2nd and 3rd in League B of qualifying, so Wales will be favourites to progress through to the final round.
Potential second round opponents
Here’s where it gets tricky.
If Wales get through, they will most likely face a League A side who were not quite good enough to top their group and qualify automatically.
That means that European giants like Netherlands, England, Sweden, and Norway are all in the mix. The other League A teams in the play-offs would be slightly easier, but not by much: Italy, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, and Austria.
In the unlikely scenario that an unseeded side wins, it could be much more straightforward for Wales, but best not to plan for that scenario.
Either way, Wales will be slightly reliant on a kind draw – similar to Euro 2025 qualifying when they avoided Sweden and Norway and got the Republic of Ireland – and need to be at their best in order to make it to the promised land.
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